I first discovered ammolites on a trip to Florida. I was annoyed with my dad for wanting to revisit a shopping area as he searched for a specific piece of jewelry for his girlfriend.
My relationship with jewelry is about like my relationship with shoes: I have a black and brown pair, and a few other accessories (a pair of bling-bling flip flops, for example). If I see a pair of shoes or piece of jewelry I like, I might stop and admire it. Maybe even think about how much I wish I had one just like it. I ooh and ahh, then I move on. Adding to my collection of jewelry doesn’t rate in my top ten listing of things I must do.
Don’t get me wrong, I love jewelry like the next girl. My favorite shirt when I was a toddler was sparkly and said Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend. But I keep it simple when it comes to my accessories.
Needless to say, I groaned and groused at this shopping venture. I wanted to be on the beach sipping a mojito and even though I was an adult, we had all come together on this trip for a family member’s wedding, and we only had one vehicle. As hard as it was, we were trying to spend time and be together on this trip, even if it did include me missing out on the Florida beach and a mojito I felt I desperately needed.
As soon as my dad found what he was looking for and showed me, I fell in love. My life changed. Everything changed, and I knew I needed to know more about these gemstones. I didn’t care about the beach anymore (except to start looking for seashells) and sipping a mojito was the last thing on my mind.
Ammolites are gemstones that originate from the fossilized seashells of ammonites. Ammonites are extinct mollusks, some dating back even to the Devonian period (which is, wow, a really long time ago!) For more information about ammonites, visit The American Museum of Natural History.
I had already been writing Burn on the Western Slope about a jewelry heist, but in my dad’s search for ammolites, I discovered the history and decided I needed to include these precious gems and the seashells they come from in my story. This discovery enriched my story and gave it a depth I never would have had if I hadn’t gone along on that shopping adventure with my dad.
The villain in Burn on the Western Slope operates a nationwide jewel theft ring, but is a collector of rare objects, including ammolites stolen from museums. When one of his collections goes missing, he’ll destroy anyone in his path to get it back. Reagan McKinney, a suspect under investigation for her involvement in this crime syndicate, just happens to be in his path. Sexy FBI Agent Garret Chambers . . . well, it’s a romance, so you’ll just have to read it when it comes out July 15 from Crimson Romance if you want to know more about Garret and the woman he falls in love with.
If you’re interested in learning more about my newfound infatuation with ammolites and seashells, be sure to visit next week’s post.